The organisers of Wear Local Friday (WLF), a platform for fashionistas and fashion brands to collaborate and learn, have added a new twist to the pop up event as part of celebrating the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Basotho nation.
Wear Local Friday enables local designers to showcase their work and also provide an opportunity for growth and innovation in the fashion industry.
The concept was developed by four creatives – TK Mofokeng, Phoka Thene, Khojane Lepholisa and Potlako Mohai – who joined hands in 2016 to create a platform for local designers to flaunt their talents with fellow street fashion lovers.
The event seeks to put all local designers and brands in a comfortable space that will allow for interactive discussions on the challenges in the fashion industry and advice on how to overcome them.
It is also a social platform where local brands and designers meet to discuss their visions, goals and the desired direction for their projects.
Above all else, it is an opportunity for attendees to familiarise themselves with local brands and discover designers and brands that deliver products of their preference.
The event has always been a Friday street event but, in alignment with the bicentenary, it will now feature live performances and interviews, among others. The series of events will take place from September until December on the first weekend of each month.
In an interview with theReporter this week, the curator and organiser of the event, Mohai said: “We are celebrating 200 years of the Basotho nation hence we have decided to celebrate on Saturdays instead of Fridays because people are busy on Fridays. Also Saturday affords us more than enough time for all our activities.
“We usually do it between March and January and then rest in February. Unfortunately, this year we struggled a bit with sponsorships and a proper venue,” Mohai noted.
He added that last year, the event was held at Panda Night Club, but has been moved to a more spacious Café What?
“WLF’s main objective is to foster collaboration among local businesses, artisans, community members, government entities and other stakeholders; to open channels to international markets to expand the reach and impact of local products globally.
“It also contributes in economic growth, increase revenue for local businesses and artisans by promoting their products/brands through an ecosystem of street photography, music and events.
“Apart from that, the event creates a sense of community and local pride by celebrating and promoting local craftsmanship, culture, and products; organise events, markets and social media campaigns that bring communities together and highlight local talents and businesses,” Mohai indicated.
He stated that they also educate the public about the benefits of supporting local businesses, including economic, environment and social advantages. They further inspire individuals to adopt a more mindful and sustainable approach to their purchasing decisions.
Mohai revealed that the upcoming function is divided into four segments – the first part of the event where they welcome visitors and the crowd at large, and make announcements and mapping according to the setting of the venue while sharing music from one of their resident DJs.
“During the second part we interview guests on certain topics of interest. It is either that or we have a lecture about certain information regarding the industry of business world and selling ideas.
“Exhibition and showcase – this is where we showcase, exhibit and give descriptions of products that are displayed for a clearer understanding to the market at large,” Mohai pointed out.
The last section of the event is fashion and styling. Their team has learned that fashion is another means of self-expression and people use it a lot to express themselves.
As a result, in collaboration with fashion icons and fashion related businesses, the organisers have come up with a way to use this as an opportunity to promote humanity and oneness in through fashion. All activities will not take more than 30 minutes and will be hyped by music from guest DJs and artists.
